Cape Girardeau City Council approves placing property tax increase for public safety on April ballot

Cape Girardeau City Council members Monday, Jan. 8, approved putting a property tax increase on the Tuesday, April 2, ballot to increase pay and benefits for the city's police and fire department personnel.

Council members voted on an ordinance to place an increase of city property taxes to a rate of 56 cents per $100 in assessed valuation on the April ballot, and an ordinance to dedicate a portion of the property tax to improving public safety.

Members of the council passed both ordinances by a vote of 5-1, with Tameka Randle, of Ward 2, voting "no" on both, and Mark Bliss, of Ward 6, absent.

Later in the meeting, the City Council approved the first, second and third readings of an ordinance that would appropriate money for payment for additional employee compensation for their service between now and the end of the fiscal year's third quarter, ending June 30. The ordinance makes the appropriation to pay full-time employees a one-time payment of $1,000.

While voting "yes" on the $1,000 payment to full-time city employees, Randle said she voted "no" on the property tax increase because she didn't want to separate departments and employees.

"That's one reason property tax was not a favor of mine that separated the departments and employees," Randle said. "That's not what the City of Cape is about."

Other business

The City Council approved water main improvements along with approving two ordinances relating for water pipe relocation for the Century Casino Hotel.

Members of the City Council also passed two resolutions authorizing city manager Kenneth Haskin to execute agreements with Nip Kelley Equipment Co. Inc. to replace the Capaha Field outfield fencing and to construct improvements to Lexington Avenue.

Parks and Recreation director Doug Gannon said the replacement of the fencing won't cut into the upcoming Southeast Missouri State University baseball season.

"As soon as the contractor gets in the material, then we'll start installing the new material. SEMO's baseball season starts towards the end of February, so we anticipate we'll have it done by then," Gannon said.

The council approved the second and third readings of:

• a record plat of Stevenson Subdivision No. 2;
• vacating the city's interest in easements on a property at 2062 Silver Campaine Lane;
• authorizing the issuing of special tax bills for properties for the demolition of dangerous buildings.

The council also approved the first readings of ordinances to:

• annex land at 3101 County Road 620;
• amend chapter 30 of the Code of Ordinances by zoning annexed property at 3101 County Road 620 as R-1, single-family suburban residential district;
• approve the record plat of Dodd Subdivision;
• approve the record plat of EOC 2nd subdivision;
• accept a permanent fiber-optic easement from the Cape Girardeau Public Schools to a new building at the Central Municipal Pool building at 1920 Whitener St.;
• extend Ward 4 to include recently annexed property in Cape Girardeau.

The council appointed Mayor Stacy Kinder and Haskin to the SE MO Redi board of directors. They also appointed Carl D. Ritter Jr. to the Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Board.